Seven Deadly Chess Sins

All too often chessplayers lose by making moves which , deep down, they know are wrong. Why do players commit these chess board sins? How can they be avoided?

Jonathan Rowson investigates, in his inimitable style, the main reasons why chess-players sometimes go horribly astray, focusing on the underlying psychological pitfalls: thinking (unnecessary or erroneous); blinking (missing opportunities; lack of resolution); wanting (too much concern with the result of the game); materialism (lack of attention to non-material factors); egoism (insufficient awareness of the opponent and his ideas); perfectionism (running short of time, trying too hard); looseness ("losing the plot", drifting, poor concentration).

An original and thought provoking work from Scottish Grandmaster Rowson.

Jonathan Rowson became Scotland's third grandmaster in late 1999, within months of graduating from Oxford University. He was runner-up in the 1997 European Junior Championship, Scottish Champion in 1999, 2001 and 2004, winner of the Canadian Open in 2000, winner of the Hastings Premier 2003/2004, and British Champion in 2004 and 2005. In 2006, he won the British Championship for an extraordinary third year in succession.